The Rural Voice, 2000-03, Page 27cost of production is half the cost of
Germany's). We must take steps not
to lose our global competitiveness."
iTECHHOLQG`Y',1
44
The revolution in biotechnology is
just beginning, Surgeoner said.
Coming down the line will be crops
specially created for swine or
poultry. Plants also will be bred to
contain vaccinations so livestock will
take them in their feed (the same will
come for humans).
The "enviro pig" is being
developed which lowers the amount
of phosphorus in manure at the same
time as it reduces feed costs.
Genetically engineered pigs will
be used for organ transplants,
Surgeoner said, noting 3,000 people
are currently waiting for organ
transplants in Ontario. Research
involving University of Guelph and
the London Health Sciences Centre is
already under way. This technology
v, ill make someone rich, he said but
it won't be the average farmer.
Answering consumers' food
safety concerns, a new
Ontario company called
Toxin Alert is developing a plastic
wrap for food. The plastic will be
made from plants into which genes
have been placed that will react to
such dangerous food toxins as
salmonella, E -Coli and listeria,
producing a package that signals the
presence of food toxins. If this
catches on and becomes the food
wrap of choice it would require
production of five -eight million acres
of plants.
The future of agriculture may be
in becoming this kind of industrial
base stock, Surgeoner said. "We need
more markets."
Plant -based oils can compete with
the petroleum industry. There may be
refineries for plant -based oils just as
there are for petroleum products.
Biodiesel — 20 per cent soy diesel
and 80 per cent petroleum — is
already being used, he said. In Japan
all Macdonald's containers will be
made from soy -based products.0
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MARCH 2000 25